


Five Entries

by Doggoo



Series: Doggoo's HK Post-Apocalypse AU [1]
Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Apocalypse, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Body Horror, Gen, HK Post-Apocalypse AU, Human AU btw, Panic Attacks, Poor dude, f-word is said two (2) times, in general just a rapidly declining mental state, just a little, tbh it doesnt really matter though, they're all humanss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-14 08:14:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29167899
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Doggoo/pseuds/Doggoo
Summary: Audio logs recorded by an unknown retainer working in the White Palace during the beginning of the infection.
Series: Doggoo's HK Post-Apocalypse AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2141220
Kudos: 16





	Five Entries

Rebooting... 

Initializing... 

0%... 

2%...

5%...

12%...

32%...

78%...

99%...

100%

**A.C.I.D.**

Audiolog V.12.8

**WELCOME BACK**

**CONTENTS**

> Log entry 01

Log entry 02

Log entry 03

Log entry 04

Log entry 05

  
  


**CREATE NEW EXIT**  
  


**SELECTED:** [ Log entry 01 ]

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0:00━━━━━━━━━3:12

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**GENERATED AUDIO-TEXT TRANSCRIPT**

**\-----------------------------------------**

[USER]: Oh! Is it recording? 

[USER]: Hey, that’s pretty cool.

[USER]: ...

[USER]: It feels so weird to be talking instead of writing everything down, haha.

[USER]: Well, this was what they gave me. Supposed to be better than just writing, apparently? I don’t know anything about technology. It’s all so futuristic... 

[USER CLEARS THROAT]

[USER]: Well, hello! This is letter-- no, letter sounds weird since i’m recording. Message? This is Message one. Wait, can I-?

[TYPING]

[USER]: ... 

[USER]: I have no idea how to work this thing.

[USER]: Well, anyways! Livia, I know you want me to record all my wonderful adventures for you during my time at the palace, but I feel like a crazy person just sitting here and talking to myself. 

[USER]: You owe me at least two bags of liquorice when I come home to visit. They don’t have any here! It’s horrible!

[USER LAUGHS SOFTLY]

[USER]: Well, there isn’t much to report. I arrived and they set me up with a room and everything. I’ve got roommates! Shelly is nice, but her taste in music is terrible. I haven’t met the other two yet. All the Royal Retainers- we all live in a small quarter of the palace, you can’t really see it from the front. I didn’t even know it was here! It's kind of like we’re back in school, except we’re working instead of studying. 

[USER]: The palace is amazing. I wish you could see it in person, Livia. The inside is just as bright and dazzling as everyone says. Pictures definitely don’t do it justice.

[USER]: And before you start wondering, no, I have not seen the King or the Queen. I’ve just started here! I’ll catch a glimpse of them for you eventually, I promise. 

[USER]: ... 

[USER]: Sorry, i’m not sure what else to say. Not much has happened yet. I start tomorrow, Shelly is going to show me the ropes. She’s very nice, you’d like her.

[USER]: ...

[USER]: Well, I suppose I should actually go to sleep. Long day ahead of me, yeah?

[USER]: Tell mom and dad not to worry, even though I know they will. You too, Livia. I’m going to have a great time working here!

[SHUFFLING]

[USER]: Though i’m not exactly sure how to end the recording. 

[MORE SHUFFLING]

[USER, MUFFLED]: So many buttons. What about... no. This? 

[SHRILL BEEPING AND MUFFLED YELPING]

[BEEPING STOPS]

[USER, MUFFLED]: I hate this thing so much.

[USER, MUFFLED]: Let me try thi-

**\-----------------------------------------**

**END TRANSCRIPT**

**SELECTED:** [ Log entry 02 ]

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0:00━━━━━━━━━4:28

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[USER]: Aha! third try!

[USER]: I’m getting better at this.

[SHUFFLING]

[USER]: Alright.

[USER]: Message number two.

[USER]: Hey Livia! I hope you got my last message. Are mom and dad alright? Write- or record- me back, okay? I’ll send one out every week and you can send one right back.

[USER]: My first week at the palace was amazing! Working in the palace is like working in a dream. The uniforms are crazy fancy! The light is a little bright too, it’s messing up my internal clock! The place practically glows at night, I hardly got any sleep the first few nights.

[USER]: Speaking of sleep, The beds here are insanely comfy. If this is how the retainers sleep, then I can't even begin to fathom how the royalty does.

[USER]: The other two people I share a room with are named Sebastian and Rowan. Rowan is pretty nice, they’re always laid back and they look like they’re going to fall asleep all the time, working or not. Sebastian is, well... he’s... 

[USER LEANS CLOSER TO THE DEVICE]

[USER, WHISPERING]: He’s kind of a jerk.

[USER, WHISPERING CLOSER] I call him Sebastard. 

[USER LEANS BACK AGAIN, CHUCKLING]

[USER]: Anyways, Shelly has been helping me adjust to the palace life. It’s so easy to get lost in the hallways! Shelly says that eventually i’ll get the hang of things, but I’m a little doubtful, haha. 

[USER]: Oh! But do I have a story to tell you! I never tho-

[DOOR OPENING, SCRAMBLING]

[TIRED VOICE]: You done in there? 

[USER]: I will be soon, sorry.

[TIRED VOICE]: No, don’t worry, just wanted to warn you that break’s going to be over in about ten minutes. 

[USER]: Oh, thanks.

[TIRED VOICE]: No problem, newbie. Wouldn’t want you to have to withstand one of Seb’s temper tantrums in your first week. 

[DOOR SHUTS]

[USER, MUTTERING]: ...Seb’s...?

[USER]: Oh, nevermind.

[USER]: That was Rowan, you can tell by the existential dread in their voice. And you thought I was exaggerating when I said they sounded like they could fall asleep at any time. You’d like them too.

[USER]: Anyways, what was I saying before? 

[USER]: Oh yeah! Livia, you’re going to freak out. Guess who I saw wandering the palace halls during my shift?

[PAUSE]

[USER]: Hegemol the Mighty! One of the Great Knights themselves, it was amazing! He looked just like everyone says. Strong, imposing, and absolutely massive. He barely fit through the door! It was crazy! He could probably snap me like a twig. 

[USER]: And no, I didn’t talk to him. I know you would be making fun of me at this point, but remember that I’m a newly hired retainer and he’s a Great Knight? I feel like you would get fired on your very first day if you were in my position. Don’t argue with me, you know that that’s true. 

[USER LAUGHS]

[USER]: I do have to get ready, though. I really don't want to have to find out why Sebs ‘temper tantrums’ are so infamous firsthand.

[USER]: Say hello to mom and dad for me, okay? 

[USER]: Love you, nerd.

[PAUSE]

[SHUFFLING] 

[USER, MUFFLED]: Higher beings help me before I smash this horrible device and all it’s confusing buttons to pieces, I swear, is this the right-? No. Wait, no, it was this on-

**\-----------------------------------------**

**END TRANSCRIPT**

**SELECTED:** [ Log entry 03 ]

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0:00━━━━━━━━━5:54

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**\-----------------------------------------**

[USER, LAUGHING]: I got your letter! And no, i’m not going to do that. I have standards, Livia, i’m not looking to get fired!

[LAUGHTER]

[USER, LAUGHING]: You are insane! I take everything i’ve said before back, if you came to visit, you wouldn’t even make it through security!

[USER]: I'm glad to hear that mom and dad are taking my absence well. You’re so lucky to be able to listen to four hourlong speeches about how “her little baby bird is all grown up and had left the nest.” 

[USER]: I’m so jealous. 

[USER]: Don’t think that I have it all rainbows and sunshine here, though. Being a royal retainer is certainly a lot of work. I’m practically dying on my feet, Livia! They’ll send home my corpse in a fancy shiny box! 

[USER]: For real though, I wouldn’t trade this job for anything. It’s such an inspiring position and I worked hard to get here.

[USER]: -But enough with the sappiness! Do I have a story to tell you! Just a few days after I sent that last message, Mysterious Ze’mer and Kindly Isma arrived at the palace! Two more Great Knights! If Fierce Dryya is acting as the Queen’s personal guard, and White Defender Ogrim is at the palace as well, then does that mean all five Great Knights have gathered?

[USER]: ...I wonder what for?

[USER]: Oh well. It’s really not my place to speculate, but it’s rather curious. It’s probably just a meet-up between friends, too. 

[USER]: I bet you’re so jealous that i’ve seen not one, not two, but three Great Knights in person. And you say-

[A BELL CHIMES TWICE]

[PAUSE]

[USER]: Oh, I suppose that was the meeting bell. I haven’t heard it ring until now, it usually just sits silent in the top corner of the common room. 

[USER]: It’s not for me, don’t worry! It’s supposed to be used to notify the Head Retainer of each unit to an emergency meeting. It’s so late, too. I wonder what it’s about?

[USER]: ... 

[USER]: I do hope everything is alright.

[USER]: Well, if anything has happened, i’ll tell you in my next message. Maybe we’ll finally get some drama, haha. I bet everyone is already gossiping about it. 

[USER]: Wait, here’s what I’m going to guess has happened.

[USER]: The Five Great Knights are all gathered for a meet-up of some sort, and the Headmaster Retainer has slept in and forgotten all about it! Now there are five renowned Royal Knights in the palace, ready to attend a nicely scheduled gathering in the Knight’s Hall, a little party which has not been planned at all! Poor Headmaster Retainer, he must be panicked out of his mind! 

[USER]: In any case, I’m only part of the cleaning unit, so I should be somewhat safe from whatever mad scramble there might be to hurriedly prepare for a forgotten event. 

[USER]: ... 

[USER]: Whatever has happened, i’ll imagine that i’ll hear all about it in the morning. The palace has a surprisingly widespread gossip mill. 

[DISTANT CHIMING] 

[PAUSE]

[GROWING VOICES] 

[USER]: ...what is...?

[DOOR OPENING]

[USER]: What’s going on? Shelly?

[BRIEF SHUFFLING]

[FEMENINE VOICE]: Kid, come on, emergency meeting.

[VOICES CONTINUE IN THE BACKGROUND, UNINTELLIGIBLE]

[USER]: Wait, but I thought the bell meant only-

[FEMENINE VOICE]: It does, but the Heads have called for a community meeting.

[TIRED VOICE]: -Hey, don’t worry, newbie. I’m sure it’s nothing, yeah? 

[USER]: Y- yeah, let me just-

[SHUFFLING, CLATTERING]

[TIRED VOICE]: I’ll get that for you, okay? You go on ahead.

[USER, GROWING DISTANT]: Oh- thank you, I-

[FEMININE VOICE]: Come on, kid. 

[DOOR SHUTS, VOICES AND FOOTSTEPS ARE MUFFLED AGAIN]

[PAUSE]

[UNINTELLIGIBLE GROAN]

[TIRED VOICE, QUIET]: ...is not looking good at all... when was the last time...?

[SHUFFLING OF PAPER]

[TIRED VOICE, QUIET]: ...that looks good enough, okay... what is...?

[TIRED VOICE, QUIET]: ...oh, must’ve... left on... let me-

  
  
  


**\-----------------------------------------**

**END TRANSCRIPT**

**SELECTED:** [ Log entry 04 ]

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0:00━━━━━━━━━7:02

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**\-----------------------------------------**

[UNINTELLIGIBLE CHATTERING IN BACKGROUND]

[SCRAPING NOISE]

[USER]: Is this...?

[USER, SHAKILY]: Livia, I don't...

[CLANGING]

[USER]: I don’t know what’s going on, we’re all packing up... 

[USER]: ...something about a blockade? I...

[VOICE SHOUTS AN UNINTELLIGIBLE ORDER]

[FOOTSTEPS GROW HURRIED]

[USER]: I’m so scared, I never... I don’t even know... they just- they just told us to... 

[FEMENINE VOICE]: Kid, didn’t you hear the Head? We’re done packing up, let’s go- what’s that?

[TIRED VOICE]: Just shove everything in-

[SHUFFLING]

[NOISES MUFFLED BY CLOTH]

[MUTED THUMP]

[MANY FOOTSTEPS, MUFFLED]

[LOUD GRATING]

[...]

[LONG SILENCE]

[...]

[UNKNOWN VOICE, BARELY COMPREHENSIBLE]: ...is that...?

[PAUSE]

[UNKNOWN VOICE 2, CLOSER]: Oh my god-

[FEMININE VOICE, BARELY COMPREHENSIBLE]:Go.

[HEAVY CRASHING]

[FEMININE VOIDE]: I SAID GO- FUCKING RUN-

[HUMAN SCREAM]

[AUDIO DISTORTS]

[CUT]

  
  


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**END TRANSCRIPT**

**SELECTED:** [ Log entry 05 ]  
  


**> PLAY DELETE**

0:00━━━━━━━━━4:06

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[SCRAPING]

[SHUFFLING OF CLOTH]

[MUFFLED COUGH]

[HEAVY BREATHING]

[USER]: Higher beings, help me-

[USER COUGHS AGAIN]

[USER]: ... 

[USER]: I don’t even know what to say, i-

[USER]: ... 

[USER]: Livia, please be alright. Wyrm-

[USER]: I don't know-

[USER BREAKS OFF IN A FIT OF COUGHING]

[USER]: ... 

[SHAKY EXHALE]

[USER]: ...fuck.

[USER, VOICE WAVERING]: I can- I can curse when I want to... i... 

[USER]: ...

[USER]: I want- I want to wake up.

[USER]: ...

[USER, SOFTLY]: God, why can’t I wake up?

[QUIET SOB]

[USER]: ...

[USER, BARELY AUDIBLE]: It was Sebastian.

[USER]: He was… god, I don’t know.

[USER]: Orange stuff dripping out of his eyes-

[USER]: it was-

[USER]: his chest, it-

[USER]: like cysts-

[USER]: ...

[USER]: ...

[USER, SOFTLY]: I didn’t want... he didn’t deserve... 

[SOFT, MUFFLED SOB]

[USER]:

[USER, SHAKY]: i don't-

[USER, BARELY AUDIBLE]: I don’t wanna die-

  
  


**\-----------------------------------------**

**END TRANSCRIPT**


End file.
